Portable tiering machine



Feb. 27, 1923.

` l 1,446,968 G, M. FRENCH PRTABLE TIERING MACHINE 'Fle Deo. 22, 1919 `5sheets-Sheet 1 INJ/ENTOR. GEORGE /7. fQEA/@H ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1923.

G.v M. FRENCH PORTABLE TIERING MACHINE 1919 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec.22,

H .C MN .TE me VF mM E A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 27, 1923.

' G. M. FRENCH PORTABLE TIERING MACHINE 1919 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. G50/96E M. ,FRENCH A TTORNEYS Patented Feb. 27, w23.

erst-ar erstes.,

GEORGE IVI. FRENCH, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ECONOMYENGINEERING COMPANY, 0E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 3. CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE TIER/ING MACHINE.

Application tiled December 22, 1919. Serial No. 346,666.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, GEORGE M. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements vin PortableTieringMachines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates' in general to a machine for raising and loweringheavy objects, such as boxes, bales and the like, and has especialreference to a machine for facilitating the handling of bales of cottonso as to facilitate the stacking of the bales one upon. another inwarehouses, or freight cars, or upon wharves and similar platforms.

One object of the invention is to provide a tiering machine of apractical construction in which the parts are compactly arranged and areoperable within a space not exceeding the floor space occupied by themachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tiering machine of anadvantageous character in l which the load-carrying platform is capableof being elevated to a position from which the load may be removed inany one of three directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means foreffecting the elevation of the load-carrying platform.

s. iurtner object vof the invention 1s to provide means of advantageousconstruction for controlling the descent of the platform.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe preferred embodimentof my tierino,` machine. Fig. 2 is another viewin side elevation, butshowing the load carrying platform in raised position. Fig. 3 is avertical fragmental sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig.4'is a central sectional view slightly enlarged, of one of the dash-potsemployed to guide and cushion the load-carrying platform. Fig. 5 is asection taken on line of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view, Vpartly in section,of the clutch mechanism employed in the machine.

Briefly. the machine comprises a frame-r work l. mounted on wheels 2 andhaving a drawing handle 8. A load-carrying platform 4 is adapted to beswung and at the same time moved bodily upwardly from the position shownin Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2. 5 designates, generally, theactuating mechanism for the platform.

The framework l is preferably composed of angle bars suitablyl securedtogether and) herein it has two supporting leg'sla. A base portion 6carries said wheels, and rising from the base and secured thereto onoppo site sides of the framework are two uprights 7. Midway of the"length of the base are y the plates l0 has secured thereto one end of:

a brace bar ll the other end of which is se- These members, togetherwith the cured by means of a bracket vl2 to an upright 7, whilehorizontal cross bars 13 and 1:4 between the channel bars 8 furtherserve to strengthen the framework of the machine.

The load-carrying .platform 4 herein con-V sists of a pair of kspacedlongitudinal members l5. Said members vare suitably connected at theirlower ends and have an out. wardly projecting toe 17 for insertion underthe article vto be lifted. yOn each of the members l5 are 'secured inspaced relation plates 19 andf20 toV which are rigidly secured arms 2land 22. Said arms are inclined toward. each other and at theirintersection are secured together to form a frame or bracket. Bracketsare thus provided-on opposite sides 'of the platform, and they carry attheir apexes rollers 23 which. are adapted to operate in the channelirons 8, as best .seen in'Fig.. 3. To the uppertend ofthe platform 4links 24 are pivotally secured at 25, the other end of said links beingpivotally secured at 26 to. the uprights 7. Said links act to guidethefront end of the platform when it is being raised or lowi ered.

I ypreferably employ manually operable means for raising and 'loweringthe loadcarrying platform' 4, although it'will be un# connection atitsopposite end With the platy Vmeans for mounting mechanism forVactuat- .Between the pinion ing the shaft 28 and controlling themovements thereof aswill hereinafter more fully appear. The guide pulley3.0 is preferably mounted to swing on a vertical axis, and for thispii'rposee is supported in a pivoted frame 32 mounted between thecrossbar 13 in the framework and a top-crossbar 33 connecting the bars.il of the framework. The lowerV end of the cable 29 is secured to acrossbar (Fig. 3) connecting the lower ends of the upright supportingarms 22 of the platform 4. p wWithin the frame 31 at the forward end ofthe machine is located the actuating mechanism for the raising andlowering mea-ns. ril`his mechanism comprises a gear wheel 35 fixed uponthe shaft 2S and meshing with a pinion 36 rigid with a shaft 37 carriedby the frame. T he shaft 37 has also fixed thereon a gear wheel 38"which meshes with a pinion 39fwhich is arranged to be operable by meansVof a hand. crank 40. 39 and the hand crank 40 I preferably provideclutch mechanism of a welli known construction by means of which ,theload-carrying platform may be maintained in its elevated position and,when desired, readily released for movement to *its lowerinost position.Referring to Fig. 6,

this clutch mechanism comprises generally a sleeve 4l with which thepinion 39 is rigid, said sleeve also having rigid therewith a frictiondrum 42. Said sleeve and associated parts are mounted upon a shaft 43suitably journaled in the frame', the rear endof theshaft'beingjournaled in a bearing 44. The crank 40 is made. rigid with a travelingsleeve 45 having a screw-threaded connection with the shaft 43.Rotatably and Vslidably mounted lon the shaft 43 adjacent the frictiondrinn 42, is a ratchet wheel 46, and voperatively associated with saidratchet wheel is a pawl 47 carried bythe frame. On the shaft 43k isfixed the rotation of the crank 40 in the direction toV wind the drumisv adapted to effect ai movement o-f the clutch sleeve 41into operative,engagement with the thrust collar whereby to lock the sleeve andassociated partsupon the shaft, 43.

wltwill be seen that` by operating the crankvtO, the winding sheave 27may be, caused toV rotate ina Vdirection t0 elevate'the load-caryingplatform. ln this operationL the platform is guided by the channel'bars8f bodily upwardly and slightly rearwardly, and at the saine timeisfswung about the rollers 23 as an axis from itslower or normalposition with the platform inclined upa thrust collar 43, andY Yotherobject upon the platform may be from off the 'platform in Moreover, itwill' moved laterally either of three directions. be seen that in itsmovements Athe `loadcarrying platform does not require any by the links24 to move 'is moving upwardly nels 8.

The clutch mechanism actuated by the operation of the crank 40 toforwardly while' it as guided bythe chane greater space than the floorspace occupied Y by the machine, the platform being causedV is arrangedto be prevent a reverse rotation of thesheave 41,

and thus hold the platform 4 in its elevated position. Referring againto Fig. 6, this is effected by the action of the pawl V47 enlgaging theratchet wheel 46 as the platform, bv reason of its tendency to descend,exerts anpull on the cable 29 causing the pinion 39 on the clutch shaft43 to reverselyV rotate, y

and through its associated parts to rotate the clutch shaft so as tocause it to move forwardly Y ment the friction drum 42 is forced tightlyinto engagement' with'the ratchet wheel 46 which is held stationaryVby-its pawl 47,

Means are provided for preventing a sudden lowering of the load-carryingplatform, Herein this means comprises a pair of dash-` pots interposedbetween theframewerk and the load-carrying platform.v `These dashpotseach comprise a cylinder 49 pivotallyinounted upon the base 6 as zit-50on oppositesides of the machine. Within theVv cylinders (Fig.

into the sleeve 45.. ln this moveiio 4) .are pistons 5l yhaving `rods 52pivotally e connected to the swinging links L24. 'Each ofsaid pistonsisprovided with a pluralityV of ports 53 circumferentially arrangedV(Figi.

5) and normally closed by a spring-pressed valve disk 54 on its underside. Said disk has an annular groove 55 therein registering with eachof the ports 53 inthe piston, andV through the disk, vleading from such*groove is a port 56 of restricted diameter., It will be seen that asthe' pistons move upwardly in thetelevation of the frame, oil or otherfluid contained in the upper portion of the cylinders will flow throughthe ports 53 in the pistons forcing the valve disks 54Y downwardlyagainst the action of their springs to permit the oil to flow atacomparatively rapid rate to thelower portionk ofthe cylinders. Vlihen,howeven'the pistons descend, in the lowering'inovement of standingseverek usage.

the load-carrying platform, the voil in the lower portions ofthe-cylinders must pass through the restricted ports 56 in the valvedisks, so that a sudden downwad movement of the platform'is prevented.ln their upper portions the cylinders are preferably enlarged as at 5?'to provide for displacement of the oil by the pistons as they descendinto the lower ends of the cylinders.

rlhe dashpots are arranged to coact with the clutch mechanism to effecta release of the clutch and permit the platform t0 descent. Such releaseof the clutch is effected by a reverse rotation of the crank 40 a numberof turns more rapidly than the clutch shaft is rotated by the weight ofthe platform acting through Y the 'cable 29 and pinion 39.

Such reverse rotation of the crank acting through the sleeve 45 andassociated parts effects longitudinal movement between the clutch sleeve41 and the shaft 43, so that the thrust collar 48 moves rearwardly intofrictional engagement with the bearing 44 on the frame. The frictiondrum 42 is now permitted to move, under the action of a spring 58 out ofengagement with the ratchet wheel 46 and thus to freely rotate in thelowering movement of the platform. For a more detailed description ofthe specific clutch mechanism herein set forth, reference is made toPatent No. 1,177,265 dated March es, 191e.

Normally the machine is supported .at its forward end by the legs la,and when it is desired to move the machine, these legs are liftedslightly from the floor or other supporting surface. Herein this isaccomplished by mounting the forward supporting wheel 2 of the machineuponan angular bracket 59 mounted to swing on a horizontal axis as wellas upon a vertical axis through the operation of the handle 3. Thebracket is so shaped and proportioned that when the handle is in itsupright position the machine rests upon the legs la, but when the handleis moved downwardly the wheel 2 moves rearwardly and elevatesthe machineslightly from off its legs la. Obviously when the machine is supportedupon the legs it is effectively held against accidental movement.

It will be seen that I have provided a machine of rigid construction sothat it is capable of handling heavy loads and with- The peculiarmovement which is imparted to the load-carrying platform renders themachine particularly advantageous in crowded warehouses and similarplaces where the operating space is limited. At the same time it ispossible to elevate a heavy bale of cotton or other object to asubstantial height with comparative ease, in which position the load maybe readily removed in the desired direction. An especially advantageousfeature of my machine is that resulting from the coaeting effect of theclutch and dashpots in permitting the practically automatic descent ofkthel load-carrying platform, the necessity of control by theoperatorbeing"eliminated lafter he effects 'a' release of the platformthrough the reverse opera-tion of the operating crank.

l lclaim as my invention:

l.V A machine ofthe'V character described comprising, in combination, aload-carrying platform, means for guiding the platform from a lowerloading position to an elevated unloading position, means for elevatingthe platform including an operating crank and clutch mechanism adaptedto hold the platform in raised position, and cushioning means foreffecting a gradual descent of the platform, said' clutch mechanismbeing releasable by a reverse rotation of the crank while the weight ofthe platform is partially sustained by said cushioning means.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, abase, a loadcarrying platform having at its opposite sides a pair ofsupporting brackets, la pair of upright guide members mounted on thebase, rollers carried by said brackets and operable in said guidemembers, means for effecting a. bodily upward movement of the platform,means for causing the platform to swing about said rollers as an aXisfrom an upright position when in its normal or lower position to asubstantially horizontal position when elevated, and a dashpotinterposedbetween the base and the platform to cushion the descent of the latter.

3. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, aframework including a base and an upright frame, a pair of upright guidemembers on opposite sides of the base, a load-carrying platform havingat opposite sides thereof a pair of supporting brackets having rollersthereon operable in said guide members on the frame, a pair oflinks'connecting said upright frame and said load-carrying platform toguide it from anormal upright position to an elevated substantiallyhorizontal posi-` tion, means for effecting the upward movement of saidload-carrying platform, and a pair of dashpots interposed between thebase and the platform on opposite sides thereof to cushion the descentofthe platform.

4. In a machine ofthe character described, the combination of a base, aload supporting and carrying platform movable .with respect to lsaidbase from a lowered platform and the frame of Vsaid base and a linkconnecting said platform and theframeofsaicl base. f Y

5. A portable tiering machine comprising, l

including anzoperating crank, a clutch mech- 10 ansm adapted forvholding the platform in 1,446 eee elevated position, and means forcushioning the descent of the platform, said clutch mechanism beingreleasable by manipulation of said hand crank While the platform ispartially sus-tained by said cushioning ln testimony whereof, I haveliereunto set my hand. Y

GEGRGE y M. FRENCH.

